joe the hotel boy-第8节

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〃Oh；　I'm　not　going　to　walk　that　far；〃　answered　Belle；　with　a　bewitching　look　at　the　young　man。

〃You　might　drive　over；〃　suggested　Felix；　without　stopping　to　think　twice。

〃Oh；　yes；　I　love　driving！〃　cried　one　of　the　girls。

〃And　so　do　I！〃　answered　the　other。

〃I　will　find　out　what　can　be　done　about　a　conveyance；〃　answered　Felix。

Being　a　good　deal　of　a　dude；　and　dressing　very　fastidiously；　he　did　not　much　relish　visiting　the　livery　stable　attached　to　the　hotel。　　But；　early　on　the　following　morning；　he　walked　down　to　the　place；　and　ordered　a　horse　and　carriage；　to　be　ready　at　ten　o'clock。

Now　it　must　be　known　that　Felix　did　not　intend　to　drive　the　carriage。　　He　thought　the　young　ladies　would　drive　for　themselves；　since　both　had　said　that　they　loved　driving。　　Unfortunate　man！　he　knew　not　the　snare　he　had　laid　for　himself！

Punctual　to　the　minute　the　carriage　drove　up　to　the　door。

Felix　was　on　hand；　standing　on　the　steps；　with　politeness　in　his　air；　though　with　trembling　in　his　heart　because　so　near　the　horses。　He　assisted　the　ladies　in。　　Then　he　handed　the　reins　to　Miss　Belle。

〃Do　you　wish　me　to　hold　the　horses　while　you　get　in？〃　she　asked　sweetly。

〃Till　I　get　in！〃　ejaculated　Felix；　taken　aback。

〃Certainly！　You　don't　think　we　are　going　to　drive　ourselves；　do　you？　　Of　course　you　are　going　with　us。〃

Poor　Felix！　He　was　〃in　for　it〃　now；　decidedly。　　It　required　a　good　deal　of　moral　courage；　a　quality　in　which　he　was　deficient；　to　resist　a　lady's　demand。　　His　knees　trembled　with　fear　as　he　scrambled　in。　　Joe；　who　was　standing　not　far　away；　looked　on　with　a　quiet　smile　on　his　face。　　He　realized　what　was　passing　in　the　dude's　mind。

〃He'd　give　ten　dollars　to　get　out　of　it；〃　our　hero　told　himself。

The　boy　who　had　brought　the　turnout　around　looked　at　Felix　Gussing　earnestly。

〃Take　care　of　that　horse；　mister；〃　said　he；　warningly。　　〃He's　young　and　a　little　bit　wild。〃

〃Wild？〃　gasped　the　dude。　　〃II　don't　want　to　drive　a　wild　horse。〃

〃Oh；　he'll　be　all　right　if　you　keep　an　eye　on　him；〃　went　on　the　stable　boy。

〃Young　and　a　little　bit　wild！〃　thought　Felix　to　himself。　　〃Oh；　dear；　what　in　the　world　shall　I　do？　　I　never　drove　a　horse　before。　If　I　get　back　with　less　than　a　broken　neck　I'll　be　lucky！　I'd　give　a　thousand　to　be　out　of　this　pickle。〃

〃Hadn't　we　better　start；　Mr。　Gussing？〃　asked　one　of　the　young　ladies；　after　a　pause。

〃Oh；　yescertainly！〃　he　stammered。　　〃But　eryou　can　drive　if　you　wish。〃

〃Thank　you；　but　I　would　prefer　that　you　drive。〃

〃Won't　you　drive？〃　he　asked　of　the　other　young　lady。

〃Oh；　no；　not　to…day。　　But　I'll　use　the　whip　if　you　say　so；〃　she　answered。

〃Not　for　the　world！〃　cried　the　unhappy　Felix。　　〃He　is　a　bit　wild　already　and　there　is　no　telling　what　he'd　do　if　he　felt　the　whip。〃

At　last　the　carriage　drove　off。　　Joe　gazed　after　it　thoughtfully。

〃Unless　I　miss　my　guess；　there　is　going　to　be　trouble　before　that　drive　is　over；〃　he　thought。　And　there　was　trouble；　as　we　shall　soon　learn。



CHAPTER　IX。


AN　UNFORTUNATE　OUTING。


Fortunately　for　the　unhappy　Felix　the　horse　walked　away　from　the　hotel　in　an　orderly　fashion；　and　soon　they　gained　the　highway　leading　to　the　resort　the　party　wished　to　visit。

Had　the　dude　left　the　horse　alone　all　might　have　gone　well。　　But　he　deemed　it　necessary　to　pull　on　first　one　line　and　then　the　other；　which　kept　the　carriage　in　a　meandering　course。

〃I　don't　think；　Mr。　Gussing；　that　you　can　be　much　used　to　driving；〃　said　one　of　the　young　ladies；　presently。

〃That's　a　fact；〃　answered　the　dude。

〃Why　don't　you　keep　to　the　right　of　the　road？〃

〃Well；erthe　fact　is；　this　horse　is　a　very　difficult　one　to　drive。　　I　don't　believe　I　ever　drove　one　which　was　more　so。〃

As　this　was　the　first　horse　Mr。　Gussing　had　ever　driven；　this　assertion　was　true　in　every　particular。

〃Oh；　I　can't　travel　so　slow！〃　cried　one　of　the　young　ladies；　and　seized　the　whip；　and　before　Felix　could　stop　her；　used　it　on　the　steed。

The　effect　was　magical。　　The　horse　started　up　like　a　racer；　and　tore　through　the　street　as　if　trying　to　win　a　race　for　a　thousand　dollars。

The　dude　clung　to　the　reins　in　the　wildest　terror。　　To　his　frenzied　imagination　it　seemed　that　his　final　hour　was　approaching。

〃Whoa！〃　he　screamed；　jerking　on　the　lines。　〃Stop；　you　crazy　beast！　　Stop；　before　we　all　get　killed！〃

But　the　horse　only　went　the　faster。　　And　now；　to　increase　his　alarm；　he　saw　a　buggy　approaching　from　the　opposite　direction。　　It　contained　one　of　the　town　lawyers；　Silas　Simms　by　name。

〃We　shall　run　into　that　buggy！〃　screamed　the　fair　Belle。　　〃Oh；　Mr。　Gussing；　be　careful！〃

A　moment　later　the　two　turnouts　came　together　with　a　crash；　and　one　wheel　was　torn　from　the　buggy　and　the　town　lawyer　pitched　out　headlong　to　the　ground。　　Then　on　went　the　carriage　with　the　dude　and　the　two　young　ladies；　at　a　faster　pace　than　ever。

〃Let　me　jump　out！〃　screamed　one　of　the　ladies。

〃No；　not　yet！　You'll　be　killed；　Grace；〃　answered　Belle。

〃Then　stop　the　carriage！〃

Alas；　the　poor　Felix　was　already　doing　his　best　to　stop　the　horse。　　But　his　jerkings　on　the　reins　only　added　to　the　horse's　wildness。

Not　far　along　the　road　was　a　good　sized　brook；　spanned　by　a　neat　wooden　bridge。　　As　the　carriage　neared　the　bridge；　Felix　pulled　on　the　wrong　rein　once　again。　　The　horse　turned　from　the　road　proper；　and　descended　full　speed　into　the　stream　itself。

〃Oh；　now　we'll　be　drowned！〃　shrieked　Grace。

But　she　was　mistaken。　　The　stream　was　easily　fordable；　so　there　was　no　danger　on　that　score。　　But　the　rate　at　which　they　were　impelled　through　the　water　naturally　created　no　inconsiderable　splashing；　so　that　on　emerging　on　the　other　side　the　dude；　as　well　as　the　young　ladies；　were　well　drenched。

To　the　great　joy　of　Felix　the　contact　with　the　water　cooled　the　ardor　of　the　steed；　so　that　he　resumed　the　journey　at　a　far　more　moderate　rate　of　speed。

〃Wasn't　it　just　glorious！〃　cried　Belle；　who；　after　the　danger　seemed　past；　grew　enthusiastic。　〃What　a　noble　animal！〃

〃Glorious？〃　echoed　the　dude。　　〃I　don't　care　much　about　such　glory。　　As　for　the　noble　animalIerI　wish　he　was　hung！　That's　the　best　he　deserves。〃

The　dude　spoke　bitterly；　for　the　spell　of　terror　was　still　on　him。　　Had　he　consulted　his　own　wishes　he　would　have　leaped　from　the　carriage　and　left　the　ladies　to　their　fate。

But　the　thought　of　the　bewitching　Belle　made　him　keep　his　seat；　and　he　resolved　that　if　he　must　die　he　would　do　it　like　a　martyr。

The　horse　went　on；　and　at　last　they　neared　the　end　of　the　short　journey。　　But　here　a　new　obstacle　presented　itself。　　There　was　a　big　fence　and　a　gate；　and　the　gate　was　tight　shut。

As　they　could　not　enter　the　grounds　without　opening　the　gate；　the　dude　got　down　out　of　the　carriage。　　He　did　not　hand　the　reins　to　either　of　the　ladies　but　laid　them　over　the　dashboard。

The　instant　the　gate　was　swung　open　the　steed　darted　forward；　and　brought　up　with　a　jerk　against　a　post　that　happened　to　be　in　the　way。　　Here　he　reared　and　plunged；　causing　the　young　ladies　to　scream　〃murder〃　at　the　top　of　their　voices。

〃Oh；　my！　Oh；　dear　me！〃　bawled　Felix；　and　took　refuge　behind　a　neighboring　hedge。　　〃The　horse　has　gone　crazy！　He'll　bite　somebody　next！〃

The　cries　reached　some　men　who　were　not　far　off；　and　they　came　running　to　the　assistance　of　the　party。　　One　caught　the　steed　by　the　bridle　and　soon　had　him　quieted　down。

〃I'll　never　drive　that　horse　again！〃　said　the　dude。　　〃Not　for　a　million　dollars！〃

〃How　are　we　to　get　home？〃　queried　Belle。

〃I'll　drive　you；〃　said　one　of　the　men。　　〃I　know　this　horse。　　He　used　to　belong　to　Bill　Perkins。　　I　know　how　to　handle　him。〃

〃Then　do　so；〃　answered　Felix；　〃and　I'll　pay　you　two　dollars。〃

The　man　was　as　good　as　his　word；　and　to　Felix's　astonishment　he　made　the　horse　go　back　to　the　hotel　without　the　slightest　mishap。　Then　the　horse　was　put　in　the　stable；　the　dude　paid　the　bill；　and　the　party　separated。

〃I　shall　never　drive　again；　never！〃　declared　the　dude　to　himself；　and　it　may　be　added　that　he　kept　his　word。

〃I　hope　you　had　a　nice　drive；〃　said　Joe；　when　he　met　Felix　that　evening。

〃It　was　beastly；　don't　you　know；〃　was　the　answer。　　〃That　horse　was　a　terribly　vicious　creature。〃

〃He　looked　to　be　gentle　enough　when　he　started　off。〃

〃I　think　he　is　a　crazy　horse。〃

〃By　the　way；　Mr。　Gussing；　Mr。　Silas　Simms　was　looking　for　you。〃

〃You　mean　that　lawyer　who　drives　the　spotted　white　horse？〃

〃Yes。〃

Felix　gave　a　groan。

〃He　says　he　wants　damages。〃

〃It　wasn't　my　fault　that　the　horse　ran　into　him。〃

〃Well；　he　is　very　angry　about　it；　anyway；〃　said　our　hero。

Early　the　next　morning　Felix　Gussing　received　a　communication　from　the　lawyer。　　It　was　in　the　following　terms：

〃MR。　GUSSING。　　Sir：In　consequence　of　your　reckless　driving　yesterday；　I　was　thrown　from　my　carriage；　receiving　a　contusion　on　my　shoulder　and　other　injuries。　　My　carriage　was　also　nearly　ruined。　　If　you　choose　to　make　a　race…course　of　the　public　highways　you　must　abide　the　consequences。　　The　damage　I　have　sustained　I　cannot　estimate　at　less　than　one　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　　Indemnify　me　for　that　and　I　will　go　no　further。　　Otherwise；　I　shall　be　compelled　to　resort　to　legal　action。　　　　　　　

　　　　　　　　　　　　〃SILAS　SIMMS；　Atty。

Felix　read　the　le